Centrifuges are used to separate components of collected samples of biological and other materials. The samples are typically placed in tubes or other containers configured to be received in a centrifuge rotor for rapid rotation in the centrifuge. One type of centrifuge rotor includes swinging buckets pivotally coupled to a rotor body to permit the longitudinal axes of sample tubes or containers carried on the buckets to rotate from a generally vertical orientation to a generally horizontal orientation as the rotor spins during centrifugation. To balance the dynamic forces experienced during centrifugation, swing bucket rotors are typically designed to support the swing buckets in a generally symmetric arrangement around the rotational axis.
One configuration of a swing bucket centrifuge rotor supports the swing buckets through bucket supports, permitting pivotal movement of the swing buckets during centrifugation. Centrifugation causes the lower ends of the swing buckets to pivot outwardly relative to the bucket supports of the rotor, thereby applying stress to the bucket supports and/or to components of the buckets coupled to the bucket supports. This stress may cause the bucket supports and/or bucket components to fail, thereby shortening the useful life of the rotor and/or the buckets.
A need therefore exists for improved swing buckets that overcome these and other drawbacks of conventional centrifuge rotors and swing buckets.